THE BLUE BANNER/October 08, 1987/11
\^lxj EX^ioYlir
r
I
'_7fe£ ^ntE.'itcUnmE.nt
Money stinks but
poverty is worse
education
By Cindy Bennett
Entertainment Editor
Why is it a generally accepted belief that,
somewhere along the line, a person has to
choose between money and intellectual
fulfillment?
Money as an educational objective is
considered crass, shallow, and generally un
academic. However, the merits of a lucrative
career attract many. As a famous man once said,
"Fve been rich, and I’ve been poor; rich is
better." I believe him.
More seriously, higher education has not
always been available to the masses the way it
has become in the last twenty years. John F.
Kennedy initiated many of the financial aid
programs that are now being cut by the present
administration. Kennedy giveth, and Reagan
taketh away.
Due to this loss of fimds and increasing
educational costs, many students are choosing
more "practical" careers — much to the dismay
of educators.
Well, it’s a crying shame but what to do? It is
no fun to be broke and educated, as many will
attest. Students don’t want to graduate with
degrees that practically guarantee they won’t get
jobs. It is hard to appreciate the quality of your
college focus when the heat is off, the rent is
due, and a guaranteed student loan payment book
is staring you in the face. From a purely
pragmatic point of view, we all have to look
after our own.
Perhaps, the coming administration will
improve educational aid. In the meantime, you
can throw all that tacky old money my way, if
you want.
»
w
Dancing It Up
Slaff Photo—Kudi Schwab
Students enjoy the music at the Fall Fest dance held in the Inn on The Plaza
this past Friday night.
‘The Principal’ flunks
By Bryan Qasen
Staff Writer
V
As I left the theatre after
seeing "The Principal," I
heard someone behind me
tastelessly remark how he
wished that Jim Belushi had
been the one to die of a
drug overdose instead of
John. At the time, I thought
to myself how unfair that
statement was, because Jim
Belushi is about all that this
film has going for it.
Don’t get me wrong, it is
not that "The Principal" is
all that bad; it is just that it
is not all that good. While
watching the film, you have
a constant sense of having
seen it all somewhere before.
The lack of originality in the
script is like "Rambo" meets
"Teachers." a weak combina
tion of books and brutality.
The story focuses on the
trials and tribulations of Rick
Lattimer (Jim Belushi), a
teacher at the suburban
Willoughby High School who
is forced to resign his posi
tion because of bad conduct.
He is then offered a second
chance as the principal of
Brandel High, a combat zone
- of a high school.
Lattimer takes the job, de-
- termined to force Brandel
students away from drugs and
degradation and back into
the classroom. Along the
way, he encounters apathy
from his fellow teachers and
hostility from his students.
The problem with the film
is that its cliched script
wanders too much, touching
on some controversial issues
(illiteracy, rape, drug use),
but never really commenting
on any of them. It is as if
the writers had nothing in
mind but a dramatic sob
story to showcase the talents
of Belushi.
Although I will always be a
devoted fan of "The Blues
Brothers" and "Samurai Di
vorce Lawyer," I feel that
Jim has a depth that his bro
ther never had. He proves in
this film that he has
strengths besides his comedic
talents. Hopefully he will
continue to display them in
the future.
The remainder of the cast
is dull in comparison to
Belushi. Louis Gossett, Jr.
appears as Jake Phillips, the
school security guard. His
role in this film is basically
the same as his roles in
every other fihn; the tough
old black man with the heart
of gold. Will he ever escape
the typecasting he has been
a victim of ever since his
excellent performance in "An
Officer and a Gentleman"?
Rae Dawn Chong, as gorg
eous as ever, makes an ap
pearance as a teacher who
gets raped. But her character
is never fully developed, so
she never gets a chance to
show off her considerable
acting talents.
Western
Carolina
dical
Clinic
* BIRTH CONTROL
* PAP SMEARS
CHECKS
FREE PREGNANCY
TESTiNG DAiLY
900 Hendersonville Road